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VICTORIA – After scores of women came forward for allegedly being sexually assaulted by Jesse Chiavaroli, a bartender at the now-closed Chucks Burger Bar in Victoria, he now faces six charges of sexual assault in Hamilton, Ontario.
“The offense dates run from 2015 to 2018,” the acting detective sergeant said. Candace Culp of the Hamilton Police Department.
Police said media coverage of Victoria’s allegations prompted women to come forward in Hamilton with their own allegations of sexual violence.
“The investigation began in February 2021, although there were two reported incidents dating back to 2016 which were reported at the time but did not result in charges,” Culp said.
These two cases have been reopened and are among the six current charges.
“When we first learned of the arrest, our thoughts immediately turned to the survivors,” said Carissa Ropponen, manager of resource development and communications at the Victoria Sexual Assault Center.
“Think about how they must be feeling right now,” she said.
The separate allegations in Victoria that led to the Chucks Burger Bar shutting down began on the Survivor Stories Project Instagram account. This allowed many survivors to anonymously tell their very personal and painful stories.
“We imagine that they feel the beginning of a sense of justice, a sense of relief, validation and hope,” Ropponen said.
This Instagram account is credited with starting an important conversation which in turn led to Chiavarolis’ arrest.
“I think one of the things that is happening here is that the survivors are not suffering in silence,” said Dr Janni Aragon, director of the Technology and Society program at the University of Victoria. “They are able to find community, share their stories and start on the road to recovery.”
Chiavaroli has not been charged with any of the allegations made to Victoria. None of the claims in Victoria or Ontario have been tested or proven in court.
Chiavaroli is currently out on bail and will appear in a Hamilton courtroom on July 19.
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